RANUNC ULA CEA E 



555 



roots are formed from the stem ; often (e.g. Aconitum, Ranunculus sp.) 

 these swell up into tubers holding reserve materials. The 1. are usu. 

 alt., with sheathing bases and often very much divided. The chief 

 exceptions to the above general statements, and special cases of interest, 

 are described under the genera, e.g. Helleborus, Eranthis, Clematis, 

 Ranunculus. 



The infl. is typically determinate ; in Anemone sp., Eranthis, &c., 

 a single term. fl. is produced. More often a cymose branching occurs, 

 the buds in the axils of the 1. below the term. fl. developing in de- 

 scending order. In Nigella sp. and others, after the term. fl. is formed, 

 the buds below develop in ascending order, so that a raceme with an 



Ranunculus acris. Floral diagram of axillary dichasial cyme, with details of 

 primary fl. Sta. according to the -jf T phyllotaxy. a ft bracteoles of primary, 

 a' |3', a, 8, of later, fls. After Eichler. 



end fl. is formed ; in Aconitum, &C.- the same thing occurs, but the 

 term. fl. rarely develops. In Nigella, Anemone, &c., there is an 

 invol. of green leaves below the fl., usually alt. with the K. 



Fl. itself typically spiral upon a elongated recept. , but frequently 

 the 1. of the P in whorls; usu. reg. and $ . The P usu. petaloid; 

 rarely (e.g. Ranunculus) a true K and C. Frequently there occur 

 nectaries of various patterns between the P proper and the sta. ; these 

 are usu. considered as modified petals, but it is as probable that they 

 are derived directly from sta. An interesting series of transitions 

 may be seen by comparing the following fls. : Caltha (honey secreted 

 by cpls. , 'calyx' present, nothing between it and sta.), Helleborus or 

 Eranthis (honey secreted in little tubular 'petals'), Nigella (ditto, 

 but 'petals' with a small leafy end), Ranunculus auricomus ('petals' 

 distinct and coloured, with pocket-like nectary at base), R. acris, &c. 

 (petals large, nectary at base). In Aconitum and Delphinium there 

 is a -I- fl. The sta. are usu. oo and spiral, the anthers extr. ; the 

 cpls. oo , apocarpous, spiral, with either one basal or several ventral 

 anatr. ovules. In Nigella the cpls. are united ; there is only i in 

 Actaea, which thus forms a link to Berberidaceae. 



As a rule the fls. are protandrous, and the sta., as their anthers 

 open, bend outwards from the centre. A series of fls. showing 

 various grades of adaptation to insects may be found, e.g. Clematis 

 (pollen fl.), Ranunculus (actinomorphic, honey scarcely concealed at 



